So, I tried 3 different times to post yesterday and kept losing it for some reason! So here goes:

Courtney dropped me off at the airport around 11:00 and had told me Delta left from the S terminal. So I breezed through TSA, another TSA Pre-check on my boarding pass, and took the train to the S terminal. By boarding pass didn’t have a gate but it had an S4 on it so I went there. Huge crowd boarding a plane to somewhere in the States, so I went to the bar. I headed back a good hour plus before the plane was scheduled to take off and S4 wasn’t going to Charles de Gaulle (I had looked on the departure boards but couldn’t find my flight.)

So, I went to ask at the Delta information desk and there were 2 agents helping one person. I finally left and went back to the departure board, I had heard something that made me think, Duh, don’t look for Charles de Gaulle airport look for Paris. Yep, there it was going out of the A gates. Back on the train and hurrying to A12 wh

ich is, of course, the furthest one away.

Got my seat assignment, I was flying standby on Courtney’s benefit so don’t know whether I will get on until the last minute. I was in an aisle seat in Economy Comfort (seats go back a little further) and the seat next to me was empty. Actually, the whole plane was pretty empty, probably not even half full!

Even with the seat and plane empty, it was a looooong flight. I watched a movie, read a book, listened to a book on tape, tried sleeping (didn’t), and ate. They fed us like the whole time. I was quite surprised!

Landed early in Paris but I still only had an hour and a half to get to next gate and it is a huge airport. I found where I was s

Sun over Paris (before the rain)

upposed to go and realized I still needed to print my boarding pass. I stopped at a ticket kiosk and tried everything but no reservation. It said I needed to go to a ticket counter.

I asked a security guy where and he said I had to go back the way I had just come. Well, he wasn’t entirely right, but I managed to find one and stood in line. When I finally made it to the desk, the woman couldn’t find it either. She tried calling someone and we had a little mix up over how I was flying. She looked again and finally said she found it and checked me in and printed off my boarding pass. By that time it was 8:55 and I had about 10 minutes until boarding.

I hurried back to the security checkpoint at 2F and made it through security okay. Then, and only then, did I have to go through Border Police (Customs/Immigration), which I found totally weird. I could have left the airport in Paris and never have gone through!

There were 2 long lines coming from 2 different entryways into Border Police and there was one lone border agent! I couldn’t believe it. I am thinking there is no way I am going to make it to the plane on time. I was about 10 back and another agent came on and started taking the other line. Then I was about 3 back and 2 more agents came on and they also started taking the other line! I made it through – all he did was take my passport, scan it while talking to other agent, and barely even glanced at me. No questions about what I was bringing into the country (I did have some cheese in my bag.)

Off I ran to my gate. I got there all sweaty and got onto the plane in time. Whew!

It had been cloudy and rainy in Paris but it cleared up about halfway to Nice and was a beautiful sunny view of the Riviera and Alps as we flew in. The airport is on a little ‘platform’ built into the Riviera. Very short runways with water all around.

The Alps

Don and Frankie had rented a little electric car and were waiting at the airport to pick me up. We drove to their apartment along the promenade that runs for miles around the little bay of the Riviera. Probably a name for the area but I am not sure what it is.

Their apartment is on the top floor of a seven story building. Maybe around 30 apartments. It is quite large for France standards. Large entry way. The bedroom is big with a large shower/tub room off of it. A small kitchen. A nice living room. The bedroom, kitchen, and living room all have a narrow terrace with small table, and 3 sets of different chairs on them so you can sit in the sun facing the sea to the South. They have made me feel very welcome!

We walked down to the promenade and had some wine at a little restaurant, Queenie. Then we walked around a little bit, went to the grocery store for supplies – wine and spirits, sparking water, and croissants! Then went back to the apartment for quiet time. I hadn’t slept for about 24 hours but couldn’t nap.

We went to dinner at a lovely little restaurant called Comptoir du Marche’ in Old town. Started with an apertif, Kir Royale. Had an entree (appetizer for us Americans) of a pork terrine. I had Foie de Veau with an onion confit (veal liver cooked perfectly!) Don had magret de cunard (duck breast – very adventuresome for Don.) And Frankie had Joue de Cochon en cocotte (pork cheeks in a cast iron pot with polenta. Frankie is a more adventurous eater, like me!) We shared a bottle of the local Provence white wine, which was very nice. Wine is cheap over here!

We ended the meal sharing a cheese plate with 4 cheeses. Very good, of course.

My first meal in France. When I told the waitress, she added that it was also the best!

We stopped at a small bar and had another glass of wine and then headed back to the apartment. I had been up for about 30 hours at the point and was very tired. I slept pretty good for a little over 8 hours and am feeling refreshed today.

It is another beautiful day and we will be heading out soon for a day of traipsing around the beautiful city of Nice.